Facing Unpleasantness: English Vocabulary List

a heavy and difficult situation or responsibility that someone has to deal with

"The debt is a yoke around my neck."

"The expensive mortgage became a yoke around his neck that prevented him from changing jobs or taking risks."

to be dealing with a critical or extremely difficult situation

"We are on a sticky wicket."

"The company found itself batting on a sticky wicket when its main supplier suddenly went bankrupt."

to be in risk of receiving punishment or getting into trouble

"You are in for trouble."

"If the teacher finds out you cheated on the exam, you are in for a very serious punishment."

to get ready for trouble, difficulty, or danger

"We must batten down hatches."

"Before the hurricane arrived, the residents were advised to batten down the hatches and secure their homes."

said to man as a way of asking them to behave less emotional, more though, or more responsible in face of difficulties

"Be a man! Stop being a coward."

"Be a man! Stop being a coward and face the consequences of your actions like an adult."

to get into a confrontation with a person or thing that is more powerful than what one assumed

"I tried to help him, but I caught a Tartar."

"The police thought they were arresting a simple thief but they caught a Tartar who turned out to be a dangerous criminal mastermind."

a miserable life filled with difficulties and misfortune

"It is a dog's life being a waiter."

"The old man lived a dog's life after his wife died eating alone and talking to nobody for months on end."

to experience something that is extremely painful or difficult, particularly for a long time

"She went through hell last year."

"After his divorce and the loss of his home, he truly went through hell, but he managed to rebuild his life step by step."

in trouble or a very difficult situation

"I am in deep water with my boss."

"The new manager found himself in deep water when he realised he did not understand the complex financial systems of the company."

a situation or state that is very undesirable or difficult

"The situation has come to a pretty pass."

"The situation has come to a pretty pass when citizens are afraid to walk in their own neighborhood."

a worrisome or difficult responsibility or undertaking that is a burden to one

"He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders."

"The young athlete felt the weight of the world on his shoulders as he prepared for the Olympic final."

(particularly of an event or a difficult situation) to cause a lot of suffering to someone and make them look or feel much older

"The war put years on him."

"The stress of losing her job and caring for three children really put years on her, making her look ten years older than she actually is."

(of a problem or unpleasant situation) to appear or become noticeable often unexpectedly

"The problem raised its ugly head again."

"The problem of corruption reared its ugly head again despite the government's promises to eliminate it completely."

(of a person) placed in a difficult situation with little or no resources or help

"Left high and dry."

"When his business partner disappeared, he was left high and dry with all the debts."

used to refer to being in the middle of a chaotic or controversial situation while maintaining a sense of control

"He remained calm in the eye of the storm."

"The small island nation found itself in the eye of the storm as the hurricane approached rapidly."

used to say that a period of happiness, enjoyment, etc. has come to an end and one's life is going to get back to the state it previously was, if not worse

"The good times are over — the party is over."

"Once the investment dried up and the market shifted, it was clear the party was over for the entire sector."

(of situations, moods, or relationships) to become unpleasant or unsuccessful

"Their friendship went sour quickly."

"After the company lost its biggest client, the whole business relationship went sour, and they never spoke to each other again."

to be expecting something difficult or undesirable to happen

"We are in for it."

"Given the current economic forecast, the company is definitely in for a tough quarter."

a day that is full of incidents and misfortunes

"It's a bad hair day."

"Between the traffic jam and the spilled coffee, it was certainly a bad hair day."

in an inevitable confrontation with an unpleasant or difficult situation

"We must face-to-face."

"She knew she had to face-to-face the difficult conversation with her boss immediately."